


The Light

by babel



Category: Blake's 7
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-12-26
Updated: 2010-12-26
Packaged: 2017-10-14 03:41:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,097
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/144950
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/babel/pseuds/babel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He always surprised her. (Spoilers for the entire series.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Light

She knew she would look down one day, and the indicator on her wristband would be lit. She knew the light would be red. She'd known it since Blake had given it to her.

That didn't mean she believed it.

____________________

Little moments built up to it, and by the time he brought it up, she was sure she shouldn't be surprised. Somehow, he always managed to surprise her like that.

First she'd come through the blockade with some difficulty, and Blake grabbed her into a hug as soon as she was back to the base. It wasn't like him, especially in front of the others.

"Is something wrong with you?" she asked weakly, crushed in his bear hug.

"You could've died," he said into her ear.

"I didn't."

He held her for a moment more, and just before he let go he said, "You could've."

Some weeks later they were waiting on a gunrunner they traded with who had a habit of being late. The snow soaked through her boots and her thermal jacket could only do so much to warm her bones, but she didn't sit close to him for warmth. It wasn't the time for that sort of thing. It was never time.

He was cradling a little mug of coffee, and she was watching the steam tickle his face when he asked, "Do you believe in me, Jenna?"

She blinked at him, startled out of her own thoughts.

"Do you believe in _me_ or in the cause?" he asked, looking up at her from his mug -- one good eye, one ruined.

She furrowed her brow, now watching him for a completely different reason. Something about his expression made her stomach unsettled. "Why are you asking?"

"I want to know." He shrugged.

"Both," she said. It wasn't very long ago that she wouldn't have been able to admit it, but it had been true for a long time. Ever since she met him.

He nodded to himself, taking a deep drink of his coffee. After a moment he asked, "Would keep doing it without me?"

She wet her lips. "Yes. If I had to."

"Mm," he mumbled. He seemed to be far away, deep in his own mind and completely out of her reach.

He was like that a lot these days. More than before.

"I'd rather be with you, though," she said quietly. She wasn't sure he heard her.

She didn't think about it again until nearly a month had gone by, and she was back planetside with some much needed supplies. She'd planned on leaving again the same day, but he took her aside and told her that he was sending someone else.

"Excuse me?"

"It's important," he said. "I need you to stay."

"Is this because they've patched up some of the security gaps? Listen, Blake, I know it's dangerous, but I'm your best smuggler and you know it. We need--"

"This is more important than supplies. You can say no, but I need you to at least think about it. Hear me out."

She crossed her arms, but she nodded for him to go on.

"I need you to be dead. Just for a while. I need people to think you're dead, so that you'll be safe."

"You need..." Jenna stared at him. "What?"

Blake put his hands on her shoulders and looked her in the eye. "You're the only person I know anymore. You're the only person I trust to pick up the pieces if something happens."

"Are you planning on doing something stupid?" she asked.

He smiled and it made his eye bright like it used to be. "No more than usual. I'm just going to be recruiting. I need to be sure that if something goes wrong, you'll still be here."

"You want me to go into hiding," she said flatly.

"I know it's a lot to ask."

"You're damned right it is."

"Just for a short while," he said, rubbing her shoulder affectionately with his thumb. "Until the light comes on."

She arched an eyebrow and watched as he reached into his pocket and took out a wristband.

"There's an device I had implanted just under my skin. I have a remote that can activate it, and the green light will go on here," he said, pointing at the a little dot on the wristband.

"It seems like there are better ways to contact me," she said quietly.

Blake's smile was strained. "It also activates if my heart stops. If that happens, the light will be red."

Her stomach turned at the thought. It seemed childish, being affected by the idea of someone dying. She'd seen a lot of people die over the years. She'd risked death herself a thousand times.

"You've been planning this for a while," she said.

"It's important."

"Like you said." She took a deep breath and took the wristband from him. "Contact me within six months. I'm not staying in hiding longer than that."

"Six months," he repeated. He took her hand and squeezed it. "You don't know how much this means to me."

"I'm not the only one who believes in you, Blake," she said. His hand was warm around her cold fingers.

He chuckled lowly. "You're the only one who really knows me, and still believes."

She didn't know if that was true, but hearing the words made her dizzy. When Blake finally let go of her hand, she was amazed that she could still stand on her own.

____________________

Jenna was eating lunch on a warm, sun-bright summer day when she saw the light on her wristband flick on out of the corner of her eye. She was motionless for a long time, not breathing, not thinking. The birds were chattering outside the shuttered windows of the old farmhouse.

Finally, she let her hand fall to the table, and she looked down at it. Over the little red light, a message scrolled across the digital face.

"Do what you have to, not just what I wanted. I'll miss you -- Love, B."

It wasn't a surprise, she reminded herself. She knew she would look down one day, and the indicator on her wristband would be lit. She knew the light would be red. She'd known it since Blake had given it to her.

That didn't mean she was ready for it. He always managed to surprise her like that.

Jenna gave herself a moment, then pushed herself up to her feet and began to pack her things. It was time to start again. Alone.

For him, and for herself.


End file.
